Electromagnetic time-recorder.



C. H. GRAFTON.

ELECTROMAGNETIC TIME RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1911.

1,019,763, I Patented Mar. 12,1912.

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Wm. v 61126 70 0w. w. KW. OWMQO.

Qua l/mu COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D- c.

CHARLES H. GRAFTON, OF S'IAUN'ION, VIRGINIA.

ELECTROMAGNETIC TIME-RECORDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Application filed May 23, 1911. Serial No. 628,958.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. GRAFTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Time-Recorders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in recording devices and more particularly to an electromagnetic time recorder for use in connection with a watchmans duties and my object is to provide a device of this character which will readily detect any attempt of the watchman to evade his duty.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a disk carrying a plurality of laterally extending fingers, which disk is adapted to be mounted on the arbor of the clock upon which is usually mounted the hour hand.

A further object resides in the provision of means to electrically energize said disk.

A still further object resides in the pro vision of a plurality of wires adapted for engagement with the laterally extending fingers of the disk, said wires being in the same electric circuit with said disk, and a still further object resides in the provision of means for the adjustment of the last referred to wires.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a dial adapted to rotate with said disk and a puncturing finger adapted to be actuated by an electromagnet for recording various times on said dial.

A still further object resides in providing a device of this character which is simple in construction and effective in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the casing of the recording device showing in diagram, the electric connections therewith, and, Fig. 2 is a section as seen on line 2--2, Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 indicates a clock of the usual or any preferred type and size, upon the arbor 2 of which is mounted a disk 3, said arbor being the one upon which is usually mounted the hour hand, which in this instance is eliminated. The disk 3 is provided on one of its faces with a plurality of laterally extending fingers 4 which are disposed adjacent the outer periphery thereof and form a substantial circle therearound, and also mounted on said disk 8, is an additional plate or disk 5 to which is secured by means of screws or the like, a further circular disk 6, the latter having mounted thereon the paper dial 7 Thus, it will be seen that as the arbor 2 of the clock, 1 is rotated, the disk 3, the plate 5 and the dial carried on said plate will be correspondingly rotated, and mounted in one end of a casing 8 surrounding the parts hereabove described, is an arm or the like 9 which has the free end thereof bifurcated to form a pair of arms 10, which arms are disposed on opposite sides of the dial 7, so that said dial rotates therebetween. The front or upper of the pairs of arms 10 is also provided with an opening, the purpose of which will be hereinafter and more particularly described. An electro-magnet 11 is also provided, the coils 12 of which are connected by means of a wire 13 to a series of batteries 14:, it being understood, however, that any form of current generator may be provided, and said batteries are grounded by means of an additional wire 15 leading to the clock frame whereby the disk with its laterally extending pins, may be electrically energized. Leading from the magnet is another wire 16 which has communication with a plurality of push buttons or other like circuit closures 17 which circuit closures are disposed at various stations. In this instance, I have shown four push buttons representing four stations, but it will be understood that as many stations may be provided as desired, and leading from these push buttons, are the wires 18, 19, 20 and 20' which extend to an insulated plate 21 carried on the frame 8 below the disk 8. This plate 21 is provided with a plurality of sockets 22, one for each of the wires extending from the push buttons or stations, and each of said sockets has mounted therein, an additional wire 23 which contacts with a wire extending from the push button and which extends upwardly into the pat-h of the fingers on the disk 3, whereby the same may be engaged with said fingers as said disk is rotated. The wires 23 are held in the sockets by means of the set screws 24 which also allow the adjustability of said wires therein, whereby said wires may be caused to have more or less of a contact with the fingers on the disk 3 as the latter is rotated.

Pivoted within the magnetic field is a lever or the like 25 which extends some distance therebeyond and has the outer end thereof connected with a sliding puncturing finger or the like 26, this latter finger being disposed immediately over the opening in one of the arms 10, and said lever is so disposed with relation to the coils 12 as to form a substantial armature therefor, whereby when the circuit is closed to cause a magnetic force to pass through said coils, this lever will be vibrated. The drawing of the lever 25 to the coils 12 will, of course, dispose the puncturing finger 26 downwardly through the opening and into engagement with the paper dial 7, thereby puncturing the same and registering a certain time thereon.

In operation, it will be seen that the rotation of the disk 3 on the arbor 2 of the clock will dispose the fingers a thereon into contact with the ends of the wires 23, the length of contact thereof depending entirely on the adjustability of said wires through the medium of the set screws 24:. As there are but twelve fingers on the disk, there 'would, of course, be a contact once every hour, if there were but one wire 23, and as there are four shown in the drawing, there will, of course, be a contact every quarter of an hour and it will be seen that the current, at any time the corresponding finger is in contact with one of the wires 23, will pass from the batteries through the magnet to the push buttons through one of the wires 18, 19, 20 or 20 and 23 to the disk and from the disk back to the batteries. Thus, should any one of the push buttons be pressed and the corresponding wire 23 on the circuit thereof be in engagement with the corre sponding finger of the disk, the circuit will be closed, the magnetic force passing through the coils 12 causing the armature or lever 25 to be vibrated and thereby forcing the finger 26 into engagement with the dial.

As stated, the push buttons 17 are positioned at various stations, and as this clevice is used as a watchmans time keeper, it will be understood that it is the watchmans duty to record his time at each station by pressing the button. As he is due at each 'station at a specified time, it will be seen that should he be late or early in recording, the same will be detected readily by the puncture on the dial, and thus, this device will prevent any attempt of the watchman to evade his duty. Thus, should a watchman fail to reach a particular station in time to register, that is, should the disk have rotated to such a point that the finger thereon, which contacts with the wire 23 corresponding to that particular station, has passed its contacting point, the watchman cannot register at that particular stat-ion for another hour. The watchman can, however,

be given a certain length of time within which to register by lengthening or shortening the wires 23 through the medium of the adjusting screws 24 and thus provide for any possibility of the watchmans pocket watch varying from the time clock.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a device for recording a watchmans time in which it will be practically impossible for said watchman to evade his duty without detection. Furthermore, it will be seen that by the provision of adjustable wires in connection with the plurality of fingers on the disk, the length of time within which the circuit is adapted to be closed, may be varied.

It will still further be seen that this device is of such simple construction as to be readily and cheaply manufactured and one which is effective and useful in operation.

It will also be noted from the foregoing description of the construction of my device that a person can only register at one station at a tine, that is, if the watchman reaches his required station late, and the circuit is closed, he cannot register from any of the other stations until the required time therefor.

What I claim is 1. In a time recording device, the combination wit-h a revolving disk having a plurality of fingers thereon, said disk being also provided with a recording surface; of a current generating means having connection with said disk, an electro-magnet in circuit with the disk and generator, the armature of said magnet being provided on one end thereof with a puncturing finger disposed over the recording surface, a plurality of flexible contact posts also in the circuit and adapted to engage the fingers of the disk as the latter is rotated, and means to close said circuit.

2. In a recording device of the class described, the combination with a revolving disk having a plurality of laterally extending fingers and also provided with a record ing surface thereon; of a current generating means having communication with said disk, an elect-ro-magnet in circuit with said disk and generator, the armature of said magnet being provided with a puncturing finger on one end thereof disposed over the recording surface, a plurality of wires in the aforesaid circuit disposed in position to be engaged by the fingers as said disk is rotated, means to adjust the lengths of the last referred to wires, and means to close said circuit.

3. In a time recording device of the class described, the combination with a revolving disk having a plurality of laterally extending fingers and also provided with a recording surface thereon; of a current generating means having communication with said disk, an electro-magnet in the circuit with said disk and generator, the armature of which is provided with a puncturing finger on one end disposed over the recording surface, a plate carrying a plurality of sockets, wires mounted in said sockets and disposed in a position to contact with the fingers as said disk is rotated, means to adjust the lengths of said last referred to wires in the sockets, said wires being also in the aforesaid circuit, and means to close said circuit. In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. CHARLES H. GRAFTON. Witnesses:

HUGH C. BRAXTON,

J. W. STOOKDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

